New Z3m Owner

For the M Powered Z3 derivatives
Post Reply
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

New Z3m Owner

Post by Jonttt »

:D well just bought my first Z3m. Have been looking around for a convertable as a 2nd car since last summer. I had the chance to use a Z3 1.9 for a weekend last summer and really liked the car but felt the 1.9 was underpowered for what I was looking for so decided to wait until this year. The long xmas break got me browsing and I found this one at a dealer near Leeds. Was about the price I was looking for and the high mileage did not put me off.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/ww ... egLetter=S

I did some research on the Z3m and found this site which has been great. Much to my girlfriends annoyance I spent 3 days over christmas reading through all the posts :rtm:

Anyway decided to have a run out with my brother and nephew. What a great place the dealer has, loads of mint sports cars from ferrari to MX5's. They are set up with their own workshop and bodyshops. I could have spent all day just looking around. Anyway the Z3m was unprepped when I viewed it which is just the way I like it. Couple of curbs on the passenger side alloys and bits of trim needed replacing but nothing major. Looked through the cars history which was spot on. Full service history every 8 to 10k miles and all receipts / MOT's to back up mileages. Turns out the car had been sold by them 3 years before to a regular customer for his wife (explains the curbing :oops: and backed up by the private reg which had just been removed,unless there is some fella called SUE lol). Time to take out for a test drive. To my surprise they threw the keys at me and let me take it out on my own. Car was spot on, smooth and tight, would have thought it had a lot less mileage than it has which is a credit to the way it has been looked after. Obviously checked for the dreaded VANOS noise but just purred along. Decided before I got back that this was the car for me, time to agree a price. I was happy with the price I got, was not expecting a massive discount as I thought the price was fair to start with but agreed on £7,600 with 3 month warranty. This excluded refurb of the 2 wheels which I will sort myself.

Job done. I left them with a list of work to be done including several bits of trim. The car had a full PDI from them and had a slight leak from the steering which they fixed. Had to go to BMW though to wait for a new seatbelt pre tensioner to fix the airbag warning light which had been permanently on.

Therefore had to wait until yesturday to pick up the car. To be fair to them all the jobs have been done and I'm now as happy as larry :D :D :D

I've done about 150 miles and car is as sweet as it was on the test drive. Only problems I have found is that the outside temperature gauge only starts to move about the same time as the oil temp (ie after about 10 miles) and even then shows -10. This doesn't seem right so would appreciate some feedback. I will let the dealer know but if its an easy fix I may save a trip over to Leeds.

Stroll on summer 8-) (I did manage 10 miles with the roof down yesturday but I will have to buy a cap, still can't feel my ears!)

I have no plans to modify the car just enjoy it for what it is (may upgrade the headunit to a Becker unit in summer).

Anyway must go an get my AA membership in case I get a puncture lol.

I look forward to joining the forum fun now that I have something to talk about.

Any advice about the air temp gauge would be much appreciated.
Attachments
inside.jpg
inside.jpg (6 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
Front.jpg
Front.jpg (5 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
rear roof down.jpg
rear roof down.jpg (5 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
rear roof down 2.jpg
rear roof down 2.jpg (5 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
rear roof up.jpg
rear roof up.jpg (5 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
seats.jpg
seats.jpg (6 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
side passenger.jpg
side passenger.jpg (5 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
User avatar
Ian_C
Joined: Sun 10 Dec, 2006 20:10
Posts: 2415

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Lytham St Annes

Post by Ian_C »

Welcome to the forum jonttt. Smart looking ///M 8-)

I believe that the external temp sensor is under the front bumper on the O/S somewhere. RealOEM doesn't list a price but they can't be too much surely :roll:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... fg=05&hl=8
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

Thank you

I will give BMW a ring tomorrow and ask them :D
aj2007
Joined: Wed 01 Aug, 2007 18:22
Posts: 435

  M roadster S50
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs

Post by aj2007 »

Nice motor jonttt, and good choice the ///M :D

Think you want this one for the ZMR

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=62&fg=05

Item 4

regards

Ade
Image
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

Thanks Ade, looks like the one and shouldn't be too expensive looking at the $ price.
User avatar
Deano1712
Z Register organiser
Joined: Sat 05 Aug, 2006 12:56
Posts: 1396

  M roadster S50
Location: Leeds

Post by Deano1712 »

Welcome to the forum John. Good choice of motor there :thumb:
Z3M with a few mods...and a little bit more power
///M_aniac
Z Register member
Joined: Sat 30 Jul, 2005 19:34
Posts: 4054

  M roadster S50
Location: Belfast

Post by ///M_aniac »

Welcome to the forum mate.

Nice choice of Zed. Looking good in the photos too.

Normal sensor for checking external temperature is about £20.00 from a stealer but for the///M there is a different sensor. The sensor according to my local dealer is about £100 and is located in the drivers side rear wheel arch of all places. I brought mine to have a new sensor fitted last week and it was the wrong one. BMW dealers in N.I. seem to to be confused about which sensor is required but it is not the normal standard one and its 80 quid more. Its made of copper and what not. Expensive copper. :head:
BMW Z3, the only way to build a true roadster

Image - The most powerful letter in the world.
Cloz wrote:There is something that will never change is my love for Z3
smartypants wrote:Conor?

With an M??


The World's gone mad :D
smartypants wrote:The Z3 rear is a great thing to behold ;)
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

Yep you are right

Phoned the dealer today part no. is 62142491476 £99 + VAT (even he was shocked!)

So have left message with garage I bought it from, first test to see how good they really are re customer services :wink:
User avatar
Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Post by Gazza »

Price difference like that really pi**es me off !! why should it be different ? outside temp is the same whether you are in a 2.8 or an ///M :head:
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
ImageImage
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

Obviously the increased acceleration means it needs to be more accurate - not!

Good news anyway, the dealer I bought from offered to replace striaght away. I aked if they could send me the part to save me a 200 mile round trip (and wait) and they have agreed. They have just phoned to say part ordered and will be posted to me for Friday. I thought this was great, couldn't have asked for more.

Just need to find where it goes now, probably requires engine out! :head:

Anybody changed one of these, I asked the main agent when got part number and he didn't know, usually under bumper. I said I had been told it was under the wheel arch but he said it didn't look like it on his diagram but couldn't be more specific.
AntMan
Joined: Sun 16 Dec, 2007 17:28
Posts: 448

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Derby

Post by AntMan »

I have fitted one on my non ///m and it is in the front bumper grill but i believe the ///m sensor is in the drivers side air duct. i'm sure there's a pic on here somewhere.
Image
///M_aniac
Z Register member
Joined: Sat 30 Jul, 2005 19:34
Posts: 4054

  M roadster S50
Location: Belfast

Post by ///M_aniac »

AntMan wrote:I have fitted one on my non ///m and it is in the front bumper grill but i believe the ///m sensor is in the drivers side air duct. i'm sure there's a pic on here somewhere.
It is in the drivers side rear wheel arch under the lining.

BMW had the lining out on Hamish and found the old corroded sensor. It actually broke in two as they removed it to fit what they then realised was the wrong sensor. Thats how I know its a different sensor, that and all the investigation that followed trying to track down the right part. :head:

C
BMW Z3, the only way to build a true roadster

Image - The most powerful letter in the world.
Cloz wrote:There is something that will never change is my love for Z3
smartypants wrote:Conor?

With an M??


The World's gone mad :D
smartypants wrote:The Z3 rear is a great thing to behold ;)
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

Thanks, that make more sense, looked everywhere under bumper and around air intakes and couldn't find it. Trust them to put it so obvious as under the wheel arch lining :roll: I will have a look a the weekend if I'm brave enough to do this myself or wait until next service.
User avatar
W444 LKR
Joined: Tue 02 Sep, 2008 18:37
Posts: 124

  M roadster S50
Location: Cheshire

Post by W444 LKR »

Nice looking motor, bought mine three months ago and loving the car!

Good choice in colour 8-)
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

I know, I love silver cars, some people think its a boring colour but I think its timeless.

Keep driving around now looking for other Z3m's. I see quite a few Z3 around but never seen another M. My brother has the Z4m but prefer the retro style of the older one 8-)

Where abouts in Cheshire are you, I used t live on Lower Bridge Street in Chester, am in Winwick Quay Warrington now. If I'm feeling posh I still put Cheshire on my address though :D
Andrew330Ci
Joined: Sun 23 Apr, 2006 17:58
Posts: 73

  blank.gif

Post by Andrew330Ci »

I love the silver ones to and love the roof and seats!!!
User avatar
Jonttt
Z Register member
Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
Posts: 6554

  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

Well the sun has been out this weekend so could not resist my first blast around the north west. Managed to convince my girlfriend that it was 10 degrees as the sun was out. Didn't help that the air temp was showing -10 lol. Dealer phoned me on Friday to say sensor had been posted so will have to get it replaced soon.
Just got back to thaw out, maybe the sensor is working lol. I think the grin has frozen to my face!
Managed to get hold of a replacement radio to change the stock one from ebay. Its the Becker Cascade which most people seem to think fits in with the style of the car. Hopefully will be able to fit it next weekend. Can't wait, where has the weekend gone :D
User avatar
offyourmarks
Joined: Sun 28 Oct, 2007 19:46
Posts: 422

  M roadster S52
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Post by offyourmarks »

jonttt wrote:I know, I love silver cars, some people think its a boring colour but I think its timeless.

Keep driving around now looking for other Z3m's. I see quite a few Z3 around but never seen another M. My brother has the Z4m but prefer the retro style of the older one 8-)

Where abouts in Cheshire are you, I used t live on Lower Bridge Street in Chester, am in Winwick Quay Warrington now. If I'm feeling posh I still put Cheshire on my address though :D
nice car jonttt - my first ///m was silver - loved it to bits. now got a blue ///M - keep your eyes peeled for me around the area - i live in a village called glazebrook near warrington and am usually out in the zed at weekends. if you ever fancy meeting up then let me know 8-)

cheers

matt
Post Reply